Why can't they see you?
by ExplosionsAreFun
Summary: Brightfur knows she's still there. Everyone's just blind to reality. (One-shot challenge for ImagineClan)


Two dark figures snuck out of WindClan camp at Moonhigh one day. Crouching down and moving slowly through the tall grass of the moor, they went right past the watch cat, who seemed to have been asleep anyway.

After they were safely out of camp, the two cats returned to their normal height and purred at amusement at how easy that had been.

"That was awesome, Brightpaw," one of them, a brown-and-white dappled she-cat said, with a spark of amusement in her pale yellow eyes. "Cloudstrike didn't suspect a thing."

"To be fair, I think he was asleep." Brightpaw, a silver-and-white patched she-cat, responded, but she, too, was slightly proud of herself.

"Details, details," the dappled she-cat responded. "Whatever. We need to talk about our secret mission."

"But Fawnpaw, that's all we've talked about for the past week. We know every step by heart." Brightpaw glanced over to ThunderClan territory, where they were headed. A soft breeze whistled through the empty moor. Above them, the night sky glittered with stars of many colours. The moon, nothing but a thin claw, hung above them, illuminating just enough for them to see.

Fawnpaw ignored her. "Step one, get out of camp. Yep. Step two, get to the border. Working on it. Step three, cross the river..."  
Brightpaw tuned her out and instead thought about the rewards the misison would bring. She and Fawnpaw would be known as heroes, for rescusing the kits that the mangy ThunderClan deputy, Ashfall, had stolen one night, about a moon ago. WindClan knew ThunderClan had stolen the kits because the night the kits were stolen, Petalkit and Featherkit had been curled up with their mother, and then in the morning, they were gone, the nursery filled with ThunderClan stench- Ashfall's scent specifically.

Ashfall was a monster. He was a large, bulky tom with battle scars lacing his entire body. He only had a stump of a tail remaining from a fight with a badger he had had when he was just an apprentice. At the last gathering, after the kits had been taken, all of the Clans reported losing kits, along with the scent of Ashfall in the nursery. Ashfall was mysteriously absent from the meeting, but Icestar, the leader of ThunderClan, had defended him and insisted that Ashfall would never take kits.

Brightpaw knew better. She was off to go rescue Petalkit and Featherkit from ThunderClan. Perhaps she'd take the other kits as well, and bring them home to their Clans. She decided that they would.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a brisk, "We're here."

She glanced down at what used to be just a stream dividing WindClan and ThunderClan territory, and was shocked.

A raging river crashed through what was usually a peaceful stream that even WindClan and ThunderClan cats could swim across. She remembered how much rain there had been recently. They should've thought of this before they had came. She and Fawnpaw glanced along the river, trying to find a place to cross, when they saw some stepping-stones. The stones were slick with water, and looked slippery.

"Fawnpaw, we should turn back and do it tomorrow." Brightpaw felt nothing but fear when she saw the river.

"No! We're already here, we have to do it now. It's just a little water. Are you a scaredy-mouse?" Fawnpaw looked slightly annoyed.

"I'm not a scaredy-mouse! I just think...maybe we should wait until the water isn't quite so rush-y." Brightpaw flattened her fur.

"Yeah. Scaredy-mouse. Are you a kit or something? Come on! We need to rescue Petalkit and Featherkit!" Fawnpaw lept down onto the nearest stone and landed gracefully, water tearing around her. She jumped onto the next one with ease. "See? I'm fine! Come on! I can't do this alone."

Brightpaw sighed and gave in. Jumping down, she landed on the stone, not very gracefully, but she made it. Fawnpaw nodded. "See? Not that hard."

Brightpaw watched Fawnpaw look at the third stepping stone. It was quite far from the second. Brightpaw didn't think she could make it. "Fawnpaw...please, stop. No one can make that jump. We're just apprentices. Let's turn around and try again tomorrow."

Fawnpaw flicked her tail to show that she had heard. Brightpaw felt relieved. _She's going to come back. It'll all be okay. We can try again some other day. Even Ashfall wouldn't kill kits. They'll still be there._

Fawnpaw jumped towards the third stone.

And plunged into swirling waters of the river.

"Fawnpaw!" Brightpaw jumped in after her.

Fawnpaw thrashed around wildly, as if trying to get a hold on something.

"Fawnpaw, calm down!" Brightpaw swam sideways through the current, trying to reach Fawnpaw.

Fawnpaw hit her head against a rock and the light in her yellow eyes faded, She was pushed by the current into the lake, Brightpaw going after her, thinking of nothing but saving her friend. When the current died down and they were in the lake, Brightpaw swam over to her friend's limp body that was, miraculously, staying afloat. She grabbed her scruff and began to swim towards the shore, putting all of her energy into every movement. She had to make it. She had to make it.

She made it.

Heaving Fawnpaw onto the beautifully dry grass, she fell beside her, all strength drained. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall into a dizzying darkness.

* * *

Brightpaw woke up in a strange, unfamiliar place.

She was in an enclosed den made of rocks piled on top of each other. The place smelled of herbs, a sweet smell that she welcomed, and...she had to think about it. ThunderClan! Everything smelt strongly of ThunderClan.

"You're awake!" A she-cat's relieved voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned her head around(which hurt) and saw a pale ginger she-cat that looked familiar. _How do I know her... Oh. This is Roseheart, the ThunderClan medicine cat._ She had figured out where she was, and that she was hurt, but...why was she in the ThunderClan medicine den?

"What...happened?" Her voice was low, groggy, and tired. It sounded strange as well. Something Brightpaw wasn't used to hearing from herself.

"Ashfall was leading a border patrol when he found you and your friend washed up on the shore. He insisted that I try to help you and your friend. Oh, he was so worried about your friend that he called off the patrol and helped me with her personally." Brightpaw didn't know what she was talking about (in her head, it felt like everything was just a blur) but she did remember one thing about something she had said,

"Wait... Ashfall? As in the Deputy of ThunderClan? As in, the cat who took Petalkit and Featherkit from WindClan?" Roseheart opened her mouth, as if to say that he hadn't, but one look from Brightpaw stopped that right in its tracks.  
"He took the kits to help the Clan. But that has nothing to do with this. Your friend...you might want to see for yourself. She's in the middle of our camp. You won't be attacked."

Brightpaw shakily got up and pressed against Roseheart, walking out of the medicine den and trying to ignore ThunderClan cats watching her. She did notice that there weren't very many ThunderClan cats. But that wasn't important to her right now. _My friend? Who?_

Then she saw Fawnpaw, sprawled out in the middle of ThunderClan camp. Fawnpaw's eyes were closed, and her body was lifeless. Brightpaw stumbled forward as quickly as she could, Roseheart still beside her. Brightpaw remembered what had happened last night. Or was it last night? Brightpaw didn't know, and it didn't matter. She closed her eyes, and fell back into unconsciousness, the stress of walking and the death of her friend too much for her.

* * *

Brightpaw woke up again, in the same place she had before. She heard conversation and decided to pretend to be asleep, to hear it.

"Thank you so much for helping them, Roseheart." Brightpaw recognized that voice. It was Flamestorm, the WindClan medicine cat.

"I had to, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. Brightpaw will be fine, but Fawnpaw...well, you saw her out there. I would've kept her in the medicine den, but if that had been the first thing Brightpaw had seen when she woke up, I didn't know what'd she'd do."

"You did the right thing, it's okay. Can Brightpaw walk? I might need her to help me carry Fawnpaw back, to be buried."

They were talking as if Fawnpaw had died.

"No, I took her out to see Fawnpaw around sunrise, when she woke up, and she fainted again."

Brightpaw didn't remember that. She opened her eyes a sliver, and saw Flamestorm and Roseheart sitting near the entrance of the den, talking.

She also saw Fawnpaw asleep on a nest not too far from hers.

_Are they blind? She's right there!_ She could even see the slow rise and fall of Fawnpaw's chest.

Brightpaw decided to tell them that maybe they just didn't see her, and that Fawnpaw was fine.

"Guys..." That voice again, that tired voice that was her, yet wasn't. They both turned and looked towards her. Flamestorm opened his mouth to talk, but Brightpaw ignored him.

"Fawnpaw's right there." She pointed to the nest next to hers, where her best friend was peacefully sleeping.

"That's an empty nest, sweetie..." Roseheart said after a moment of silence.

_What? No it's not._ "No, she's right there! Don't you see her? She's asleep. She'll wake up soon- look, there she goes now!" Brightpaw stared intently at Fawnpaw, who was yawning and stretching.

"Oh dear... Did she hit her head or something? Or is Fawnpaw there? I don't see her." Roseheart sounded extremely worried.

Flamestorm shook his head, and Brightpaw lashed her tail in frustration. Why couldn't they see? Maybe they could hear her.

"Fawnpaw, they keep saying they can't see you. But you're there, right?"

Fawnpaw giggled slightly. "Of course I am, stupid."

Roseheart and Flamestorm exchanged a glance, and had a hushed conversation that neither of them could hear. Roseheart finally spoke. "Well, how about you and...um, Fawnpaw, go back to WindClan camp now? You seem to be recovered and I'm sure your family can't wait to get you back."

Flamestorm nodded, and walked out of the den. Brightpaw and Fawnpaw followed.

Brightpaw saw what looked like Fawnpaw laid out in ThunderClan camp, dead.

"I wonder who that is," she said to Fawnpaw.

Fawnpaw blinked. "I dunno."

Whoever she was, Flamestorm wanted to take her with them to WindClan camp. Brightpaw helped him carry her (Fawnpaw said she was too tired, which meant she was too lazy) and they made it back to camp safely, avoiding the river by going around it. Brightpaw's head hurt whenever she saw the river, so she was glad that they mostly avoided it.

When they got to camp, the deputy, Hazelbreeze, walked out with Hawkstar following her. The two she-cats dipped their heads when they saw the body of a cat that wasn't Fawnpaw, but looked just like her.

"Fawnpaw and Brightpaw were found washed up in ThunderClan territory. Brightpaw seems to be okay, but Fawnpaw..."

"Is right here." Brightpaw finished, indicating to Fawnpaw, who was standing right next to her.

"I wonder why they're ignoring me," Fawnpaw said.

"I don't know. Maybe they can't see you or something. It's really confusing me."

All The WindClan cats who had come out of their dens just saw Brightpaw talking to thin air.

Flamestorm walked over to Hawkstar and whispered something that Brightpaw couldn't hear. Hawkstar nodded, said something that sounded like "Oh, that poor apprentice."

Hawkstar cleared her throat. "I believe Fawnpaw deserves a warrior name, for her to have in StarClan. And we'll give Brightpaw hers as well." Hawkstar glanced at Brightpaw sympathetically.

"Yay! Fawnpaw, we get warrior names!"

"That's awesome! Something good came out of the mission after all!" Fawnpaw purred happily.

"What mission?"

"Nevermind, it's nothing. Hey look, Hawkstar's going up onto the hill!"

"Cats of WindClan, we gather here today to witness the warrior ceremony of Fawnpaw and Brightpaw!"

Fawnpaw raced up next to Hawkstar immediately. Brightpaw giggled.

"From now on, Fawnpaw will be known as Fawnlight, to honour her courage and loyalty."

All of WindClan bowed their heads in respect. Brightpaw, thinking that was strange because this was a warrior ceremony, shouted "FAWNLIGHT! FAWNLIGHT! FAWNLIGHT!"

Hawkstar gave Brightpaw another sympathetic look, which confused her, and Fawnlight walked over and sat by Brightpaw. "Go on!" Fawnlight whispered, nudging the she-cat with her tail.

Brightpaw stood up when Hawkstar called her name, and she walked over to the small hill were ceremonies were held and announcements were made. She met Fawnlight's eyes and twitched her ear cheerfully.

"Cloudstrike, has Brightpaw completed her training?"

"Yes." Cloudstrike bowed his head to the leader with respect.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you Brightfur, in honor of your shining spirit and imagination."

Brightfur stood up straight and tall, feeling pride at her new name. Some of the cats cheered half-heartedly, but the one she heard the most was Fawnlight. She jumped down and padded over to sit beside her friend.

"Brightfur will sit vigil tonight, as will anyone who was close to Fawnlight."

"There they go again. Acting like you're dead. What's wrong with them?"

Fawnlight twitched her tail. "I don't know, but we should really just ignore it."

"Okay," Brightfur said, satisfied with that answer.

Hawkstar glanced at her and whispered to Flamestorm again. Everyone, whispering! Brightfur was tired of it.

As the sun set, cats began to crowd around Fawnlight's look alike's body. Some yowled in misery as the bloody red of the sunset turned into the quiet darkness of night. Brightfur couldn't understand it at all, still- who was this cat and why were they sad about her death- so she tried to be as quiet as possible when talking to Fawnlight.

In the morning, Flamestorm asked to speak with her in his den.

"Okay, sure. Can Fawnlight come?"

"Sure..." Flamestorm said. Fawnlight purred and followed them into the den.

"Brightfur...I don't know how to tell you this, but Fawnlight is dead. She is really and truly dead. I don't know if you're making it up as some kind of strange joke, talking to her, but she is really dead and please, accept that."

Brightfur purred in amusement. "No she's not, fur-ball. She's right here, see?"

"She's really not. You hit your head pretty hard, and something likes this is hard to take."

"Flamestorm! She is RIGHT THERE! How can you not see?"

Flamestorm sighed. "Brightfur, you're just a young warrior. It's hard to accept reality at times."

"And you're just an old medicine cat who's too blind to see the cat right in front of him!"

Flamestorm's yellow eyes flashed with annoyance. "Fine, then. Go. I'm just a stupid elder."

"That you are," Brightfur hissed, stalking out of the medicine den, Fawnlight trailing behind her.

"If they're too dumb to see me, maybe we should just leave." Fawnlight gazed out towards the barn.

"You know what, that's a good idea! We should go." Brightfur lashed her tail angrily.

"Um...Brightfur? Who are you talking to?" Duskpaw, Brightfur's littermate, had walked over to be beside her.

"I'm talking to Fawnlight. Can't you see her? Right there?"

DUskpaw blinked. "Fawnlight died. She's over there, in camp, being fixed up by the elders. You helped bring her in from ThunderClan camp, remember? Hey, what were you doing in ThunderClan camp anyway? How did you get there?" Duskpaw had always been curious.

"That's not Fawnlight, because Fawnlight is right next to us, and Ashfall found us on the shore." _Everyone is acting like she's dead! Even Duskpaw!_

Duskpaw blinked, looked back at Fawnlight's body, clearly lifeless, and decided to drop that subject, since he knew his sister well enough to know that she was extremely stubborn. "How did you get in ThunderClan territory in the first place, though?"

"I..." Brightfur's head hurt when she thought about that, and Fawnlight briefly disappeared, nowhere to be seen. "Don't ask about that!" Brightfur snapped, and Fawnlight returned.

"Duskpaw! Come clean the elder's den, please!" Duskpaw's mentor, Sorrelstrike, called, and Duskpaw dashed off, with a strange look to his sister.

"None of them understand!" Brightfur hissed angrily, and whirled around, dashing out of camp as fast as she could.

After a few minutes of this, she calmed down, and gazed back at WindClan camp. "I just...Why are they acting like this, Fawnlight?" The silver-and-white she-cat slowed down. "I don't get it."

"As I said, we should just leave." Fawnlight quickened her pace.

Brightfur followed. "Wait up!"

"No way, slowpoke!" Fawnlight purred, and soon the two were racing towards the barn. And in that moment, Brightfur knew the others were wrong. Fawnlight was there, right there, as she always had been, and always would be. She heard her purr, and saw her bright yellow eyes. She didn't know why they couldn't, and that didn't matter to her.

Fawnlight was there, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

**2,981 words without the AN :D **

**I really worked hard on this one-shot, which is probably the longest single-chapter thing I have ever written, so a review would be appreciated. Tell me about any spelling errors, grammar or name errors so that I can fix them. **

**This was an ImagineClan challenge, and a fun one at that. **

**Thanks for reading!**


End file.
